Donna Holinga

Lincoln School

Springfield, Illinois

Lincoln School

"Renaissance Faire"

Teachers: Toni Greer--Math, Language Arts

Missy Netznik--Science, Language Arts

Donna Holinga--Social Studies, Language Arts

General Information:

Our third quarter theme in sixth grade at Lincoln School is entitled "Renaissance: Rebirth to Revolution." The students' will compile research gathered in each subject area, and for a culminating project present a Renaissance Faire by portraying the characters and events from that time period. Social Studies is the anchor subject for this theme. Students are assigned topics which they will research in stations. These stations include such resources as: Internet, Reference CD-ROMs, Printed Materials, LaserDiscs, Videos and Film Strips.

In math and science, students will be researching mathematicians and scientists from this time period. The research stations will again utilize Internet, Reference CD-ROMs and Printed Materials.

Throughout the quarter, we are able to incorporate language arts into our thematic unit by reading various novels from this time period. At the end of the unit, students will be creating scripts for the Faire in language arts to present the information they have gathered during their research.

This information will also become part of a student-created Internet site which will display the research, as well as pictures from the Faire, and will serve as a site for future reference.

Individual Responsibility:

I am responsible for the social studies portion of the project. In social studies students will rotate through a series of research stations in which students will research either people, events or places from the Middle Ages or Renaissance time period. These stations will include access to Internet sites, reference CD-ROMs, printed materials, LaserDiscs and Film Strips.

Since I am also a Language Arts teacher, after the research is done students will use the information gathered to complete scripts from the point of view of characters from this time period. As soon as the scripts are completed students will summarize them, and word process them so that the summary will become part of a student-created Internet site to be made when the unit is completed. These scripts will also be presented at the Renaissance Faire with students in full costume.

While preparing for the faire, each teacher is assigned several "expert groups," which are made up of students from both sixth grade teams at Lincoln school. Each teacher works with that group in preparing backdrops, costumes, and practicing scripts.